JURONG CHURCH OF CHRIST

About 600 years before the birth of Jesus, God prophesied through the prophet Daniel that He would set up “a kingdom which shall never be destroyed” (Daniel 2:44). How great that eternal kingdom is! Even before Mary conceived Jesus, the angel Gabriel came to her and foretold that she would bear a son, promising, “And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:33).

Before the kingdom was established, what were God’s servants saying about it? John the Baptist preached, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2). Jesus also preached the Gospel of the kingdom of God, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand” (Mark 1:14,15). Later, Jesus sent the apostles to preach to the house of Israel with this message: “The kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 10:7). After that, Jesus again sent 70 disciples and they preached, “The kingdom of God is come nigh to you” (Luke 10:9).

Approximately one year before His death, Jesus made two very important statements about the kingdom. He promised His apostles that He would build His church, then immediately told Peter that He would give him the “keys of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 16:18-19).

This passage helps us see that the kingdom and church are the same. Shortly after that, Jesus made this prediction: “Verily I say unto you, that there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, til lthey have seen the kingdom of God come with power” (Mark 9:1). Thus, Jesus promised that some of those who heard Him teaching would not die until the kingdom of God came with power. When Jesus said that, the beginning of the kingdom was drawing closer.

On the day that Jesus died, just after His death, Joseph of Arimathaea came to Pilate and asked if he might have the body of Jesus. Joseph is described as a man who “waited for the kingdom of God” (Mark 15:43).

Thus, the kingdom had not yet come when Jesus died. When the Holy Spirit came, the apostles received power from on high and the kingdom came (Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; Acts 2:4). The kingdom’s establishment is recorded in Acts chapter two and took place in the city of Jerusalem in the year A.D. 30.

Over thirty years later the apostle Paul wrote to the saints at Colosse and declared that God “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear son” (Col. 1:13).

Therefore, those Christians were in the kingdom of Christ, and it existed in the first century. The Holy Spirit also says, “Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear” (Heb. 12:28).

Thus, the kingdom had been received in the first century, and it is immovable, it cannot be destroyed, and it is eternal!

How grateful we ought to be to God for the kingdom He established. How thankful we ought to be that we can be citizens in that kingdom, the church! Think for a moment about some of the privileges and blessings which we have as citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

1) In the kingdom, we have security. The Bible says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit” Rom. 8:1).

2) In the kingdom, we have victory over our foes. We have victory over the world (1 John 5:4), victory over Satan (James 4:7), victory over death (1 Cor. 15:23-25, 55-56), and our victory comes through our King, Jesus. “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:57).

3) In the kingdom, we have all spiritual blessings (Eph. 1:3). This includes the remission of sins, hope of eternal life, the privilege of prayer, and many others.

4) In the kingdom, we have the wonderful blessing of fellowship with the greatest people on earth! The citizens of Christ’s kingdom are the best people in the world. We should thank God for the opportunity to work, live and serve with them. As we walk in the light as He is in the light, “We have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

The “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of Christ” are the same (Eph. 5:5). It is the greatest kingdom in the history of man. Let us be thankful for it, live faithfully in it, and tell others about it!

During the time of Christ, the Jews worshipped in Jerusalem in the very large and elaborate Temple that Herod built for them. It sat on top of one of the mountains of Jerusalem. The entrance into the Holy Place faced east. There was a large courtyard around the main Temple building. This was known as the Court of the Gentiles. There were several entrances from outside the Temple into this courtyard. However, it was tradition that worshippers enter the Temple from the right side. They would exit to the left. One purpose of this was to keep order to the large number of people going into and out of the Temple.

The exceptions to this tradition were those who were mourning a death and those under ecclesiastical discipline. These individuals would enter from the left and exit out the right. This was done so that the other worshippers might have the opportunity to easily identify those who needed special exhortation or comfort.

Those who were mourning would hear words of sympathy from the other worshippers. The traditional statement would be, "He who dwelleth in this house grant thee comfort!"

Those under discipline would hear, "He who dwelleth in this house put it into thy mind to give heed to those who would restore thee again!" (The Temple and Its Services by Dr. Edersheim, 1874, p.41)

Today we should be aware of those in our midst who need exhortation or comfort. In (2 Timothy 2:24-26)

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

we read that we are to be gentle and meek in restoring those that oppose themselves. We are to help them recover themselves out of the snare of the devil. In Colossians (3:16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

We are to admonish and teach each other with our songs in worship. We are to let peace rule in our hearts and do all things in God's authority. True unity does not tolerate evil but chastises it, so as to bring the evil doer back into a proper relationship with God.

(Gal 6:1) Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

WHICH REALLY DISTURBS YOU MOST?

"LORD, disturb me and make me reflect on the more significant things in life.  
Remind me that people are more important than things, and Your Word the most important of all.    
Leave me not to walk alone.  
May Your wisdom guide me as ever, for I dare not trust my own.  
Break my will to match Yours, Lord, so that I may be one with You in everything I choose to think and do."

Early one Sunday morning, a group of party leaders came by the White House to see President James A. Garfield to discuss a bill they thought should be passed by Congress. They were surprised when he said he had a very important appointment and would talk to them that afternoon.

"But Mr. President," one man asked, "What could be more important than THIS?"

Garfield arose and walked to the door, turned to the party leaders and said, "Gentlemen, I have an appointment at the Lord's table!"

He then left with Mrs. Garfield and went to Sunday morning worship. President Garfield 's "appointment at the Lord's table" was a reference to the Lord's Supper, a memorial of the sufferings of Christ observed by Christians every first day of the week (Acts 20:7). “And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.”

The Apostle Paul gave the following instructions to Christians concerning their "appointment at the Lord's table":

"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for YOU; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes" (1Corinthians 11:23-26).

An invitation has been extended to each member of the human race to come in obedient faith (Acts 16:30-31) And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house, confessing Jesus as Lord before men (Rom10:9-10) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. turning away from sin in repentance (Acts 17:30-31) And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. And being baptized (immersed) for the forgiveness of their sins (Acts 2:38) Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. so that they too may take their "reserved seat" at the Lord's table with those who will inherit eternal life.

"I am an unused cup for communion... left last Sunday from the worship service, giving testimony of an appointment unkept, a trust broken….

"I was filled in anticipation... that some Christian would drink of my contents and be reminded of the price of his Redemption

"Here I sit-- unused... Yet I bear witness of a love extended, a fellowship desired, and a grace made available. ‘This is the NEW covenant in my blood,' Jesus said.

"Here I remain... reminding one and ALL that God's gift MUST be claimed. He forces neither himself nor his blessing on anyone -- but He eagerly awaits acceptance.

"There is a cup for YOU each Lord's day... and no one else has a right to use it! It is a sacred appointment that each of us has with the Lord to do this in remembrance of Him" (cf. Hebrews 10:24-29).

Yes, there IS an appointment to be kept for the child of God at the Lord's table AND there is ALSO a seat reserved for YOU!

Mar		Author
6/3/05 13/3/05 20/3/05	A Kingdom that shall never be Destroyed Those who would restore thee The Unused Cup	Roger Campbell